Polished-rod rotator



Oct. 2, 1921s. 1,686,261

' A. B YNTON' POLISHED ROD ROTATOR Filed June 19, 1926 description. I

Patented Get. 2, 1928.

Wilma stare ALEXANDER BOYNTON, on AN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

j rorlrsrrnnnon noTA'ren.

Application filed June 19, 1926. Serial No. 117,196.

Thisinvention relatesto polished rod rotors especially; adapted for use in connection with pumping equipment for wells.

Briefly stated one-of the aims of the invention is to provide a polished rod rotor having reliable means by which back strain inthe rods as a result of sticking of the cups or plunger is prevented from twisting the rods in two.

Another. object is toprovide a polished rod rotor havingsimple means to intermittently'turn the polished and pump rodsto distribute the wear onthe various parts of thepump, thestufiing box and the polished rod, and to keep the joints of the rods tight.

A further and equally important object of the invention is to provide a polished rod rotator which may be easily applied to the pumping equipment without elaborate alterationflthereof and without-the exercise of unusual skill and which when installed will require little if any attention.

; Other objects ane advantages'will be apparent during the course ofthe following In the accompanying drawing forming a part of tlllS application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the proved polished rod rotator applied;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the improved polished rod rotator;

Figure is a detail sectional view illus- 5 trating a lubricator cup and washer.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates a polished rod which may be connected to a beam 6 through the medium of a cross head 7 in the usual and well known manner so that the rocking of the beam 6 will result in the reciprocation of the rod.

As stated in the objects, the invention is designed to intermittently turn the polished rod 5 to avoid excessive wear on the cups and other parts of the pump as well as stutting box and polished rod, and to keep the joints of the rods from parting and to thisend I have mounted a ratchet wheel 8 on thepolished rod at a point above the crosshead 7 and provided means whereby the ratchet wheel may be intermittently rotated as a result of the rocking of the beam. Figure 1 clearly illustrates that the hub 10 of the ratchet wheel extends on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel and is secured in place on the polished rod by set screws 11 or other suitable fastening'devices.

l lxce ssive friction between the hub of the ratchet wheel and the top of the crosshead avoided by the employment of a washer 14, which, as shown in Figure 3, is positioned in a. cup 15, the parts 14 and 15 being 130- sitioned between thehub 10 and the'top of the crosshead. Oil may be periodically introduced into the cup 15 to lubricate the washer 14; so that the turning of the ratchet wheel will not result in excessive wear on the parts that carry the rotating load.

Figure 1 illustrates thata polished rod clamp 16, is secured o the polished rod in'i-f mediately above the hub l0 and constitutes asupport for a hood 15,the top of which slopes to shed rain, water, ice, and the like, which vould otherwise lodge on the ratchet wheel and possibly fill some of the teeth oi the same withthe result that the oper-',

ation the rotator would be more or less,

interrupted or interfered with.

The teeth of the ratchet wheels are located on the upper side of the wheel and are en gagedby the downwardly curved and some- I whati pointed terminal portion of a pawl 20 pivotally connected as indicated at 21 to the: upper portion of an actuating arm 22. Fig

are 1 clearly illustrates that a series of openings in the upper portion of the arm 22 provide for the adjustment of the pawl with respect to the arm, for the purpose of regu-v lating the actuation.

The lower portion of the, arm 22 is threaded into a boss 26 formed on the upper side of an attaching plate 27. 'U bolts 28 or is loosened and the pawl is moved either in:

wardly or outwardly, after which the jamb nut is tightened to securely hold the parts in adjusted position. This constitutes the second method of regulating the amount of actuation. r

Referring to Figure 2, it will be observed over-comin be twist-ed in two.

cordance with this invention may beapplied to the polished rod without disconnecting the well and without altering the construction of any of the parts of the pumping equipment and. when a pplied will intermittently turn the ratchet wheel to bring about uniform wear on the cups, the liner of the working barrel,

etc., whereby-the life of the par-ts below the surface is greatly increased, this feature the'necessity of frequently pulling the rods. I As suggested in the opening paragraphs of this specification the rotor has a clutch action by which excessive back strain in the rods as a result of sticking of the cups or plunger is relieved so that the rods may not In explaining this it is pointed out that the hub 10 turns on the washer 14 only in a clockwise direction as long as the cups or plunger, as the case may be, are free to be turned. When the cups are free to .be turned in a clockwise direction there is nothing of consequence to induce counter-clockwise turning of the member 10. 7 However, should the cups or plunger stick A in the working barrel a back twist will be bu lt up in the rods, and this back twist will finally overcome the friction between the members 10 and 14 and cause the member 10 toturn in a counter-clockwise direction during the back stroke of the actuator arm 20.

It will therefore be seen that the members 10am]. 1% form a friction clutch by which the rotor is prevented from twisting the rods in two should the cups stick.

A rotor constructed in accordance with this invention results in the more economical and efiicient operation of a pumping well, as cutting of the oil by the use of bad cups, plungers, liners, and working barrels is prevented and maximum production is assured since formation of squirt grooves or jets is overcome.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1 A polished rod rotor comprising an attaching member having beam engaging means, an upright actuating arm threadedly and adjustably connected to said attaching member, a locking device securing said upright arm in an adjusted position, a pawl adjustably connected to said arm,' and a ratchet wheel having radial teeth engaged by said pawl, the adjustable threaded connection between said arm and base forming a means whereby the pawl may be adjusted radially on said wheel.

2. A polished rod rotor comprising an attaching member having beam engaging means, an upright actuating arm threadedly and adjustably connected to said attaching member, a locking device securing said upright arm in an adjusted position, a pawl ustably connected to said arm, and a ratchet wheel having radial teeth engaged by said pawl, the adjustable threaded cona means whereby the pawl may be adjusted radially on said wheel, said ratchet wheel being provided with a peripheral stop flange. 1

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALEXANDER BOYNTON.

'nection between said arm and base forming 1 

